Monday, November 24, 2008

I know it's not cherry season anymore around here, but I'm holding onto summer for as long as I can and saw these in the grocery store flown in from Chile, and they sucked me in and said "buy me" and make Streusel Coffee Cake with Cherries.

When I got home, I googled and found out that Chile is 5,454.47 miles (8,777.88 kilometers) from Ottawa. I also found out it would cost me $1,145 to fly from Ottawa to Santiago so that I could taste the local cherries. So, $10 for one pound of cherries means I'm actually being financially responsible!

This recipe comes from my aunt who owns an apple orchard in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and uses the cherries and apples from her garden for this cake. Most summers, we would drive out to visit my aunt and uncle, and we would stop at all the fruit stands along the way, picking up buckets of freshly-picked cherries. Then, we'd devour them as we continued driving through the Rockies, spitting the pits out the window until our stomachs ached.

This coffee cake would be perfect the morning after Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you want to be more seasonal and responsible, you could also use apples (or pears, nectarines, peaches or plums).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks and beat until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Stir the flour and baking powder into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the egg whites into the batter.

For the streusel topping: Combine all the streusel ingredients.

Fill the pan with the batter. Arrange the fruit on top. Sprinkle streusel on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.

For the glaze: Mix the glaze ingredients until spreading consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Your photos are just fabulous! I know you've been told before but seriously. I love the last one of the cherries! Makes me what to be financially responible and spend $10 on cherries! LOL! Love how you think.......~ingrid

I don't want to make these . . . I want to come over and eat yours! So beautiful and yummy looking (and i'm up to my neck in pie dough/apples/pumpkin puree/pecans right now, so cherries are a welcome departure).